The State of American Government Today, and How We Got Here (Virtual)

More than a few Americans are wondering how the nation has arrived at our current age of partisan gridlock and what seems like constant chaos.  While American democracy has always been boisterous, it seems like the 21st century has thus far been particularly disillusioning.  Join Dr. Matthew Warshauer, professor of history at Central Connecticut University, as he explores the turn of the new millennium and offers some reflections on the state of democracy not just in America, but throughout the world.

Dr. Warshauer is fascinated by what he calls “the American paradox,” the ever-challenging conundrum between the nation’s founding document and the difficulties of pursuing essential ideas of freedom. He has spent the last 30 years exploring the great American experiment in self-government.  The author of five books and countless articles and reviews, Warshauer has written extensively on Andrew Jackson, slavery and the Civil War, and, most recently, 9/11 and how the most important and devastating event of the 21st century has impacted the world in which we live. With a unique ability to draw in his audience, Warshauer guides listeners through the complexities of American political and constitutional history so that we can all think more clearly and gain a better understanding of our role as citizens.